PadMan challenge: What is it good for? Absolutely nothing, say some

Your social media timelines must ben flooding with celebrities posing with a pad these days. The #PadManChallenge- as it is called- attempts to break the taboo around menstruation and of course, promote Akshay Kumar's new film PadMan which narrates the story of Arunachalam Muruganantham and how he made sanitary napkins affordable and available to people at the grassrootlevel.

The PadMan challenge, despite being a PR exercise, has surely opened up a discussion on a topic, which for centuries was kept discreet and hush-hush. Celebrities taking part in such a challenge has not only encouraged many others common people to participate but has also led to discussions at homes and offices about menstruation for the time- something that has been considered a taboo for so many years now.

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But the social media campaign has also been called out by many as superficial and simply a marketing gimmick to promote a film. Stand-up comic and writer Supriya Joshi, in a sarcastic post on Facebook, has shared that how pointless it is to pose with a pad.

Supriya wrote a scathing post calling out the makers for merely using an important cause to promote their film.

" Hi guys, something amazing happened this morning. I got my period. As many of you know, I have PCOS, so to get your period is such an amazing feeling. I immediately ran to my sanitary napkin stash, but found I had run out of them. Instead, I saw my mom, dad, grandmother and my building’s secretary posing with them and taking pictures. I asked them what they are doing with my pads, and they said, “shut up silly girl, we’re taking part in a movement that will change the course of history. We’re going to make periods a taboo a thing of the past! The Padman Challenge will empower women! Don’t forget to use the hashtag otherwise you’re not empowering anybody!!!” I felt so empowered and inspired and I wanted to do the challenge too, but at this time everyone had thrown away the opened pads and I continued to bleed through my clothing. Trust me guys it’s the best feeling to not have access to pads when you’re bleeding and the Padman challenge is all that is needed to destigmatise a woman’s period. Kudos to champion of all causes Akshay Kumar and his amazing marketing team for championing this cause!

But just because I didn’t want to feel left out, I did my own version of the pad man challenge. Hope I empowered you. Reclaim your period! Pads are just selfie accessories any way!

EDIT: But, what do I know about this, any way? In the words of Ms. Aditi Shrivastava Suresh, Co-founder, Pocket Aces Pictures HQ, I am just a "Stupid comedians trying to grab their share of fame" and not a real life woman who may have an objection with a campaign that is wasteful, gimmicky and totally misses the point of de-stigmatizing periods.

One of the major problems that women in rural areas face is lack of access to pads. A tax levied by the government makes pads expensive and unaffordable to many. Something that many of the stand-up comics have been talking about for some time now."

One of the major problems that women in rural areas face is lack of access to pads. A tax levied by the government makes pads expensive and unaffordable to many. Something that many of the stand-up comics have been talking about for some time now.

The irony of the situation is that while more people are openly talking about menstruation and menstrual hygiene thanks to the #PadManChallenge, the fact still remains that sanitary pads are a luxury item that cannot be accessed by one and all.

Sure, there is more awareness now and it is heartening to see both men and women engage in dialogue about menstruation, but the campaign doesn't serve a greater purpose. While we pose with pads for Instagram and Facebook posts, millions of girls are still using rags during menstruation which is dangerous and unhygienic.

Many have also criticised Bollywood celebrities for not speaking out or campaigning for the removal of 12% tax that is levied on sanitary napkins. Or the fact that this whole excercise is wasting some very expensive pads.

Hopefully, the film PadMan which talks about a man's journey in providing cheap, affordable sanitary napkins to one and all will open up discussion and spearhead a nation-wide movement to make this basic commodity available to one and all at anaffordable price.